 | A Dialogve between Custom and Veritie concerning the use and abuse of Dauncing and Minstrelsie |  |
A Dialogue between Custom and veritie concerning Dauncing and Minstrelsie
Custome.Whē I beholde ye discord great
bout things of sundry kinde:
one thīg aboue ye rest there is
that runs oft in my minde.
Some freend therfore I seek to finde,
to him the same to showe:
And it discust betwixt vs two,
the truthe therof to knowe.
Ah freend, wel met for one I wisht,
a matter to dissolue:
Wherof I greatly stand in dout,
and oft in minde reuolue
Veritie.
If my small skil in any wise,
to you may profit bring:
In honest cause it shall not want,
therfore declare the thing.
Custome.
But first your name I doo demaunde,
and that the truthe be tolde:
Euen as you think herein and that,
you nothing doo with holde.
Veritie.
the trueth therfore I tel:
And hate all lyes and flatterie,
though few doo like me wel:
Custome.
For to discourse my cause you are,
the cheefst that could be found:
For Custome I, and you the trueth,
therof shall search the ground.
The knot that I would haue vntied
is in the great dissent:
Of men conscerning dauncing, which
hearin haue right iudgement.
Veritie.
Your cause is hard to be discust,
and trueth therin to tel:
Gets many foes of all degrees,
Dauncing they like so wel.
Yet sith that trueth is great, and dooth
preuaile in spight of all:
Confirme thy cause, if thou haue ought,
confute the same I shall.
Custome.
In this conflict and battel fearce,
in front shall Scripture be:
As Armor strongst that thou therwith,
dismaid, the rest maist flee.
That princely Prophet Dauid eke,
Did leap and daunce before the Arke,
as sacred Scriptures tell.
Veritie,
That noble king and man of God,
before the Arke did spring:
With dauncing leapes, with all his hart
but for no worldly thing.
But praisd the Lord, which had him set,
on royall seat as King:
And eke because the mightie Ark,
they back again did bring.
And Micol, which this humble king,
did rashly scoffe and scorne:
Had this rewarde, that of her womb,
no Childe at all was born.
Custome.
When Dauid Uictor did return,
and great Goliah kild:
With songes the women & with daunce,
did meet him in the feeld.
Veritie.
They sung & daunst and musick made,
not for their fleshly lust:
But for to see that Giant quaild,
and lye now dead in dust.
Which did before blaspheme their God,
and sore their harts afright:
in this daunce few delight.
Custom.
Miriam Aarons sister, and
the women daunced and ioyd:
When Iewes did passe the sea as land
and nothing them annoyed.
Veritie.
The cause of mirth, as was before,
for that the Lord did saue:
His owne, and did his foes all drown,
with waters surging waue
Custome.
Likewise when Iephtha Captain stout,
with triumph home did fleet:
His daughter sole, with Timbrell shril,
and daunces him did meet.
Also when Iudith had cut of
proud Holofernes head:
The women daunced, and in that dance,
she all the women led.
Veritie.
In breef to these, as to the rest,
this onely I reply:
To Iewes a common vse it was,
to ioy at victory.
Because with musick, daunce and song,
they praysd the high Gods name:
or wanton daunces shame.
Custome.
But what to that Saint Luke to vs,
dooth showe in Gospel plain:
When the lost Childe and prodigall
returned home again?
His parents made great mellodie,
glad daunsing eke was heard:
I deem therfore that men may mirth
and plesant daunce regarde.
Veritie.
Ah, wher's the parent that dooth daunce,
or mirth for his cause make?
To see his sonne leaue his lewd life,
and wicked waies forsake?
Our custome is clene contrarie,
we laugh and mery be:
To see them wanton, proud, vnchaste,
and liue in lechery.
And practice that which dooth vs make,
to stinck before the Lord:
For which, except we doo repent,
we shall be clene adhord.
Custome.
The woord of God you wrest a wry,
to make your cause seem right:
From it I flee, and for defence,
Veritie.
Gods Gospell and his woorthy woord,
I neither wrest nor wring:
But as the text wil teach all those,
that wil attend reading.
Turn to the bookes, weigh wel ye woords
where these recorded be:
That I the truthe hearin haue tolde,
moste plainly shalt thou see.
Thē dauncing dames delight falles down
in Gods woord hath no stay:
Now let vs heare what reasons reach,
too saue the same can say.
Custom.
First reason saith that daunces neat,
cause many men to catch,
A faithful wife, with whome too liue,
yf they can wisely watch.
Veritie.
A woorser way who can deuise,
an honest Spouse to choose:
Then at such foolish fantasies,
where lewd life they doo vse?
Gods book bid'th man vse other meanes
if wife he minde to wed:
That she haue better qualities,
then traces fine to tread.
if viewed he doo minde:
In honest sort let him demaund,
chaste mariage may them binde.
Her Parents paths eke let him prye,
what life they long haue led:
What law they looue, & how they haue,
their tender babes vp bred.
Let parents in this case consent,
so better may they thriue:
A wary way he ought to woork,
which dooth begin to wiue.
What godly properties should prooue.
her fit to be thy mate:
Of sacred scriptures counsaile learne,
This cause they doo debate.
Where one by dauncing dooth obtain,
a spouse that may him make:
Twenty doo make deer freends their foes
while wiues they rashly take.
For making one, and that by chaunce,
let many not be mard:
Let men therfore those honest meanes,
in wedding, wiues regard.
Custome.
Again, while they doo tread their trace,
and lightly leap about:
euil thoughts doo banish out.
Veritie.
While Silla they doo seem to shun,
in Charibd they doo fall:
While thoughts they flee, euil deeds they doo
[illeg.] stil to sinne are thrall.
But hee that sinne by sinne dooth seek,
out of his minde to thrust:
Walkes not the way he ought to tread,
if that in God he trust.
If foolish fancies thou shalt finde,
thy soule sore to assault:
And if that subtel Sathan shall,
him self in thee exalt.
Salue of the sacred Scriptures seek,
which put such foes to flight:
Use godly games and modest mirth,
and that in seemly sight.
So shall these hellish sinnes so fearce.
no holde in thy hart haue:
And solace eke then maist thy self,
if honest mirth thou craue.
Custome.
Our youthful race how shall we run,
will lusty Lads reply:
On Saboths, Feasts and holy dayes,
if you lay dauncing hy?
All day like stones in street?
With tripping toyes, and footing fine,
we wil eche other meet.
Veritie.
Six dayes of seuen the Lord hath left,
our worldly woorks to plye:
And on the seuenth from them to cease,
and onely to him hye.
On this day if we leaue the Lord,
and sinne doo exercise:
What may we plead to claime a place,
or parte in Paradice?
The Maister wil his Seruant mark,
the Father wil his Childe:
In transitory trade, that they
of them be not beguilde,
But how they serue the Lord of Lords,
his Saboths to obserue:
And lawes to learn, they pas not though
their soules for euer sterue.
If Maister, man, Parent or Childe,
the dredful doome doost minde:
To seek and serue the Lord make haste,
while heere thou maist him finde.
Custome.
A goodly sight it seemes to me,
and plesant to the eye:
eche other tracing by.
At tune of Tabret, pipe or harp,
or Rebecks mery note:
They trip on toe, and turn it trim,
and shout with shrilling throte.
This race while ietting round they run,
with iumps and comely grace:
They mery make them selues, and all
the people in that place.
Veritie.
What godly eye can it delight,
what pleasure in it dwel:
Which is the line that leads to vice,
and hedlong vnto hel.
While men with maides in wanton daunce,
vnseemly oft doo turn:
Their harts blinde Cupid oft dooth cause
with Uenus games to burn.
Thus flames of looue incensed are,
theffect is yet behinde:
Which to obtain, by secret meanes,
they showe eche others minde.
If that his mate doo seem to like,
the game that hee would haue:
He trips her toe and clicks her cheek,
to showe what he dooth craue.
Such iests they vse, and iumps vnchaste
Such filthy woords, that they may seem,
chaste harts to rauish clene.
While many fondly view this fact,
before which liued chaste:
Return corrupt, and vnto sinne,
with great desire haste.
So dauncing wherof you doo deme,
much pleasure to arise:
Doth purchase payne and many plunge,
Into great miseries.
Custome.
Though such effects for lack of heed,
and wit to some doo chaunce:
The sober, wise, and wary take,
no harme at all by daunce.
So preaching and the sacraments,
of things by chaunce which come:
Yf you esteme you must reiect:
for death they are to some.
Veritie.
Admit there may aman be found,
so fenced with vertues force,
(Like phenix rare, and swan so black)
whome dauncing cannot worse.
For silie soules where is your care,
which Sathan cannot shun:
while one doth stand shall number fall
Of things that chaunce how oft they chaunce
men iudgment ought to take:
And things wherof euil oft doo come,
they ought cleane to forsake
Some things there are, ye which to keep
the Lord commaunded straight:
And vnto mans saluation,
are counted of great waight.
Of this sorte are the sacraments,
and preaching of gods woord:
For wanton dauncing dooth appeere,
no precept of the Lord.
Concerning things indifferent,
(while they do good) them vse:
But if much sin of them do spring,
then should we them refuse.
Custome.
Though often dauncing some mislike,
somtime vse it they may:
At whitsontide for churches welth,
ells youth will nothing pay.
Veritie.
Sinne may at no time well be vsed,
we ought abhorre it ay:
And cheefly at that feast we ought,
no filthie sporte to play.
For then we celebrate the tyme,
That we wit good might be inflamde,
and vices might be brent.
When we the flesh should mortify,
shall we put sinne in vre?
For this abuse, the wrath of God
to feel we may be sure.
And though the Lord wil haue an house,
where people may frequent:
By euil that it maintaind should be,
is far from his intent.
But what to God we consecrate,
must godly be alway:
Men ought prouide by honest meanes,
that Church doo not decay.
And they which wil no peny pay,
if dauncing be denayd:
To daunce, and not for Temples sake,
to giue they may be said.
I think if dauncing quite were doon,
that many seruants might
If so they weuld, giue more to Church,
yet be in better plight.
At that feast men may mery be,
in sober honest wise:
But ought to flee such heathnish sportes,
wherof much euill dooth rise.
Christmas is a mery time,
good mirth therfore to make:
yung men and maids togither may,
their legs in daunces shake.
Wee se it with some gentlemen,
a common vse to be:
At that time to pruide to haue,
some pleasant minstrelsie.
Veritie.
The time of Christs natiuitie,
to christians is a ioy:
For that he came to saue vs lost,
our enmies to destroy.
To loose vs out of sathans bands,
from syn to make vs fre.
That syn we should no more obey,
but serue him holily.
Then filthie dauncing is no mirth,
for children of the light:
Suche fleshly lusts frequented are
of children of the night.
In time of sinfull darknes and
of antichristian masse:
This vyce as many other moe,
highly esteemed was.
But night is past, the day is come,
Saluation draweth neer:
so long as we are heere.
And that our time we haue euil spent,
Sufficient let it be:
Like wantons, drunkards, gluttons, and
in lusts, Idolatrie.
If men of countenaunce and welth,
haue play at Cardes and Dice:
And heathnish dauncing in their house,
and eke a sea of vice.
(As some men haue) they showe them selues
contemnors of Gods woord:
Because they practise that which is
forbidden by the Lord.
For which contempt, the Lord their ioy,
To heuines shall turn:
Their mirth to mourning chear, yf him
To serue they wil not learn.
But where as they haue cardes and dyce
for all that come to play:
And minstrels for the dauncing dames,
and youths that goe so gay.
Yf they some larned men would haue,
to teach their ghestes what gaine:
They haue by Christ his birth and death
and take them selues some paine.
To heare the same: Christyde aright,
then should these men obserue:
suffer the soule to sterue.
But (ah alas) this seems to men,
a greeuous charge to be:
Then to procure by whome we may,
the light from darkenes see.
To further their saluation,
what so men doo bestowe:
They count a charge, but nothing deer,
for that which bringeth wo.
Like vnto Esops cock God graunt,
we may not fooles remain:
Before the peerlesse pearle of price,
Stil to prefer the grain.
Custome.
Sōe think when weddinges feast is kept
where many men doo meet:
That youthful yeers in plesant daunce,
may nimbly mooue their feet.
Veritie.
That feast is signe that man hath chosen
a wife, so to liue chaste:
To vnchaste and adulterous life,
vain dauncers other haste.
For this estate of mariage, men
should praise and thank the Lord:
Those fleshly wicked woorkers of them
ought clene to be abhord.
and faithful promise make:
Oh let not vs like faithlesse whoores,
our husband Christe forsake.
Custome.
If daunce with sinne be so replete,
and vertues shine doo dim:
Mens wits of late are very quick,
and they in knowledge swim.
For dauncing hath been long in vse,
mong men of learned skil:
They found no fault but thought it wel,
why then count you it il?
Veritie.
Gods gifts, they are not tide to time,
nor any age of men:
He powers them foorth when he thinks good
bothe how, to whom and when.
Long custome ought to be no rule,
therby our liues to frame:
Except it be the way of trueth,
then may we vse the same.
By multitude your argument,
if you doo minde to prooue:
Bothe God and godlynes alwaies,
the smaller sort doo looue.
Noe and his familie were few,
saued in pinetree Ark:
were drownd with waters dark.
When iust Lot and his daughters two,
were sau'd from firye flame:
The Sodomits and many were,
consumed with the same.
Elyas seemd alone to be,
sinne then did so abound:
And to be short, in number few,
the Godly haue been found.
The way that leads to life is straight,
and few therin doo trace:
Brode is the way that leads to hell,
there many run their race.
Our Fathers steps and multitude
to follow we denay:
Where they from law of God haue erd,
Els follow them we may.
Though sōe which seem Clerks of great skill,
and others to excell:
with daūcing holde against Gods woord,
they may not beare the bell.
Though other all one far surpasse,
yet being but a man:
If from right way he tread a wry,
we may not follow than.
Respect of persons set aparte,
and iudge with vpright minds:
and therto doo incline.
The Scribe and the proude Pharise,
was thought a learned wight:
And Christe vnlearned, yet in deed
Christe had the trueth and light.
Philosophers were counted wise,
and Paule a foole was thought:
Yet Paule said trueth, and taught them Christe
which hath vs deerly bought.
Let not the lofty countenaunce
of men, whom many praise:
Nor noble birth, nor worldly welth,
dasle thine eyes alwaies.
Let woord of God the tuchstone be,
and not the face of men:
To trye who hath in this discourse,
the trueth set down with pen.
If that the noble Berreans,
or such like now did liue:
They rightly would discusse this cause,
and best to trueth would giue,
If by right rule of Gods good woord,
this cause might squared be:
Such trifling daunces clene abhord,
then shortly should we see.
Custome.
Though this thy parte thou hast wel proou'd,
that it dooth firmly stand:
nor giue thee vpper hand.
Though all my proof thou hast disproou'd
and I no proof can bring:
This shift I haue, say what thou wilt,
I wil beleeue nothing.
Veritie.
Sith thou art froward and selfwild,
gainst trueth and reason bent:
To talk with them whom reason ruleth
a while is mine intent.
God hath with reason you indued,
let reason yeeld to right:
With equall ballance weigh this cause,
and in the trueth delight.
Of sundrie sorts of daunce we read,
and eke whereof it sprung:
But we wil talk of that which dooth,
to this discourse belong.
There is a daunce calld Choria,
which ioy dooth testify:
An other called Pyrricha,
which warlike feats dooth try.
For men in armour gestures made,
and leapt, that so they might:
When need required, be more prompt,
for publique weal to fight,
An other instituted was,
Which fleshly, foolish is and vaine,
this daunce should no man make.
Some from Sibilles priestes affirm,
this dauncing first did spring:
Some from the Preests of Mars, & some
from Hiero Sicil king.
Some say from Ethniks olde if came,
but Chrisostom dooth tel:
How that this daunce did first proceed,
from Sathan Prince of hel.
Theffects cannot be good, that from
such causes doo proceed.
Therfore I wish all godly men,
of this to take great heed.
All kinde of daunce is not misliked,
but men should vse it wel:
By gift of God in ioynts of man,
Agillitie dooth dwel.
In comely manner if he mooue,
apt measures if they trace?
With mean, in time, without offence,
it is a seemly grace.
As songes, so daunces may be vsed,
to praise Gods holy name:
So Dauid daunst and many mo,
and we may doo the same.
For as almightie God hath made,
So cheefly man, who o'er the rest,
on earth as king dooth dwell.
For mortall man with reasons might,
high things to comprehend:
God hath indued, that his good Lord
to knowe he should attend.
What he in inward hart dooth knowe,
and constantly beleeue:
Other to tel a tung he hath,
but God the praise to giue.
As tung and voyce, so members all,
Gods woorthy praise to sound:
In sundrie sort created were,
as is in Scripture found.
The Princely Prophet dooth prouoke,
with sound of Trumpet shrill:
With pleasant lute and warbling harp,
and pipe that plaieth not il.
With Cimbals loud, & dauncing swift,
By all meanes that we can:
Our gracious God to magnify,
before the face of man.
But in this daunce this must we note,
that men should daunce alone:
And eke the women by them selues,
thus seperate eche one.
When Dauid daūced, no womē daūced,
No men did daunce with Miriam
if thou doost mark it wel.
When Iepthyas daughter did wt daūce,
her Father meet in haste:
She was alone, she did not daunce,
with men, as reade thou maist.
Then men with men must daunce, & eke
the female kinde aparte:
If dauncing they wil vse aright,
to praise God in their hart.
Custome.
But some reply what foole would daūce,
if that when daunce is doon:
He may not haue at Ladyes lips,
that which in daunce be woon.
Veritie.
By this their mindes they vtter plain,
what they in dauncing seek:
To feed their fansie and their lust,
not God in minde to keep.
Such dauncing where bothe men and maides,
togither trace and turn:
Stirs vp the flesh to Uenus games,
cause men with lust to burn.
If we the liuing God doo feare,
and dread his lawes to break:
What so might mooue vs vnto euil,
So if the causes we cut of,
theffect we take away:
In holy life our loouing Lord,
then better serue we may.
Lest I a lone with daunce doo fight
this battel should be thought:
Out of the woorks of woorthy men,
lets see what may be brought.
Sirach that sage in chapter ninth,
this counsail dooth thee giue:
In company with dauncing dame,
see that thou doo not liue.
Gaze not vpon her beautie braue,
hear not her mermaides noyse:
Lest thou be snared, and lest that she
inchaunt thee with her voyce.
Bishops (saith Augustine) were woont,
vaine daunces to reprooue:
But they are now so far from it,
that they to daunce doo looue.
Better (he saith) on Saboth rest,
it were all day to ditch:
Then on that day tobe defilde
with dauncing as with pitch.
Dauncing is a flattering deuil,
(saith he) a plesant sinne:
A poyson sweet destroying them,
O would that men their sinne could see,
how daunce dooth them defile:
Though prict in pride and garnisht gay,
and they like wantons smile.
And Chrisostom that golden mouth,
for so his name may spell:
Where he of Iacobs wedding writes
this dooth he playnly tell.
Weddings thou heardst, but there thou mightst
no wanton dauncing hear:
Which daunces diabolicall,
he plainly calleth there.
The Bride and eke the Bridegroome is
with daunce (saith hee) beguilde:
And the whole house and familie
therwith also defilde.
And writing of Herodias,
her daughters dauncing nice:
Before the king which to her gaue,
Iohn Baptists head of price
He saith that many now a dayes,
whom Christians men doo iudge:
Not halfe their kingdome for to giue,
nor others head doo grudge.
But their owne soules moste deer of all,
they giue to be destroyd:
While by their deuilish dauncing they
Yea where that wanton dauncing is
erected, he dooth say:
The Deuil him self dooth daunce with them
in that vngodly play.
I wish that dauncers then would way
the Author of their sport:
Which is the deuil, and that he dooth
in daunce with them resort.
Let them that dauncing doo defend,
whose cause they plead, regard
For they are proctours for the deuil,
and he wil them reward
Such as maintain this in their house
consider what a gest
They entertain: the deuil him self,
with whome is little rest.
The counsail of Laodicen
saith, Christians may not vse
Uain daunces, when they weddings make,
they ought on God to muse.
That Pastures pure to such vain sport,
should not giue their consent:
No not in beeing present there,
but should them selues absent.
Also the Counsail Ilerdense,
enacted a decree:
That at the time of wedding, there
What minde so sad, so stable and
so constant, and so wel:
In order that the wanton daunce,
the sound that pipers yel,
The swinging armes, and feminine
singing would not infect:
And mollyfy, and ouercome,
except men these reiect?
Lodouicus Uiues saith,
voluptuousnes and daunce:
The kingdome of blinde Cupid, and
of Uenus doo aduaunce.
They that any care haue had,
of honest grauitie:
Haue filthy dauncing clene condemnd,
in maides especially.
Unshamfast dauncing is the root,
of filthy wantonnes:
And dauncing vnto vs did come,
from gentiles heathnishnes.
Dauncing the cheefest mischeef is,
in it there is vnchaste
Behaueour, to whordome it
intiseth men to haste.
The fondest of all other things
is dauncing, not vnlike:
To maidens, saue on instruments
So that if vanitie did not,
commend such vanitie:
More ridiculous then daunce
no sight should seem to be.
For if a man remooue him self
from place where they doo skip:
And stop his eares from sound of pipe,
and see them onely leap.
He would suppose them to be mad,
like men not wel in wit:
To see them leap towards heauen, & eke
the ground thump with their feet.
Plead for this play the best they can,
a wanton play it is:
And wantonnes who so dooth vse,
of heauenly ioyes shall misse.
Iustinian this law did make,
we wil not haue men giue:
Them selues vnto voluptuousnes,
wherfore for men to liue.
Lawful it shall not be, in feast
dayes, any daunce to vse:
Whether for pleasure or for lust,
but they shall it refuse.
Salust dooth say in his story,
although an Ethnick he:
Sempronia was taught to sing,
Then dooth an honest matron seem,
and there he dooth them call:
The instruments and snares wherby
men vnto royat fall.
Cicero would no honest man,
in common place to daunce:
Although he therby might attain,
to great inheritaunce,
Gabin a dauncer pinned fine,
accused was to be:
To muren as a fault was laid,
in Asia daunced he.
In solitude or modest feast,
no man with sober head:
Except parhaps he frantick be,
wil trifling daunces tread.
Bothe Christians and heathnish men.
I many mo might cite:
Let these suffise, in wanton daunce
that men should not delight.
If Sirach neither Augustin,
Chrisostom, nor Councel,
Nor Salust nor yet Cicero,
nor such as I the tell.
Can thee withdraw from deuillish daūce
in few woords then attend:
That thou maist learn of wanton daūce
Herod with wanton wenches grace
bewitched, did rashly sweare:
And vowd a vow vnseemly for
a king in royall chear.
Half of his kingdome he did graunt,
if she the same would craue:
But she intised by mother, chose
Iohn Baptists head to haue.
And sinne to sinne the king did ad,
for dauncing damsels sake.
By killing Iohn most cruelly,
whole head the wench did take.
The like to others may be fall,
in dauncers which delight:
Beware betimes, preuent this euil,
of dauncing flee the sight.
Sith cruel murther dooth proceed,
and filthy whoordome spring:
And many euilles of dauncing come,
lets leaue that deuilish thing.
For if of Christe we Christians be,
and with his spirit lead:
The flesh we ought to crucyfy,
and vnto sinne be dead.
For if that raging lusts doo rule,
and in vs mortall reign:
Though plesant hear a while it seem,
Uain pleasures of the world doo passe,
but their reward is sure:
Which is the second death, in hel
for euer to indure.
Custome.
Sith dauncing is so daungerous,
and of sinne such a sinck:
Of minstrells, which doo cause the same,
I would hear what you think.
Veritie.
Musick mislike I not at all,
musicions may play:
In time and measure if it be,
gainst them nothing I say.
But minstrelles which go comonly,
about from town to town:
Wheron their calling for to build,
haue but a sandy ground.
With vs the law of man dooth not,
their kinde of life maintain:
In sacred scripture dooth therof
no proof at all remain.
If neither law of man nor God,
dooth minstrels life vpholde:
That it is built on sandy ground,
to say I may be bolde.
Custome.
so soon by reason prooued
Prooue that you say, and then I graunt
minstrels should be remooued.
Veritie.
They are accounted vagarant roges,
by act of Parliament:
(What reason why they should not then
like Roges to Iaile be sent
The Roges doo lead an idle life,
moste minstrels doo the same:
The Roges doo beg from house to house,
moste minstrels vse that game.
Though clenly they doo cloke the same,
vnder pretence of sport:
Yet cunningly they money craue,
all men can this report.
In other poynts aswel as these,
I might them bothe compare:
Wherin they rightly doo agree,
but that I doo them spare.
Except they doo belong to men,
which are of high degree:
As in that act by woords set down,
expressly we may see.
To such I think, but few of these
vain Pipers doo pertain:
To men so graue a shame it were,
A great disgrace it were to them,
their cloth abrode to send:
Upon the backs of them which doo,
their life so lewdly spend.
And as for those that shrowded are,
vnder the cloth of men:
Which haue not licence so to doo,
I may set down with pen.
Their cloth cannat exempt them from,
the note of rogish name:
Which term is not of my deuise,
the act dooth giue the same.
Therfore if they doo think this name,
to sharp and hard to be:
Upon the Statutemakers let
the blame light, not on me.
Custome.
The lawes of this our Realm, I see,
the minstrels vse deny:
Whether the woord of God forbid
the same, I pray you try.
Veritie.
The woord of God wil not allow
men, any trade to vse:
But that which good and honest is,
the euil we must refuse.
Moste minstrels by vngodly meanes,
What euil a peny to possesse,
to doo wil they refrain?
Their instruments if you respect,
they vse them to intise.
Wilde youth, olde age (which should be graue)
oftimes to practise vice.
Therby they call yung men & maides,
togither on an heap:
In wanton and lasciuious daunce,
vnchristianly to leap.
On Saboth dayes, which God cōmaūds
vs holyly to keep:
To hear, and read, and search his woord,
his honor for to seek.
Euen then doo we dishonor him,
then doo we our own wil:
Then moste we practise wicked woorks,
which God forbiddeth still.
The minstrels with their Mermaides sound,
doo so bewitch lewd youth:
That they prefer the deuilish daunce,
before the wholsom trueth.
From minstrels which doo cause such euil
to Church they wil not come:
To learn the Catachisme, of true
Religion the some.
But out of Church at Tabrets sound,
In haste, before the reading of
Gods woord hath quite been doon.
This to be true [illeg.] affirm,
for I them hot [illeg.] knowe:
Why minstrels then should be denayd,
Good cause there is Itrowe.
Their singing if you doo regard,
it is to be abhord:
It is against the sacred woord,
and Scripture of the Lord.
As fountain at one place (saith Iames)
bothe water salt and sweet:
Dooth not send foorth (for natures course
denyeth that to be meet).
So godly blessing to proceed,
and deuilish blasphemy:
Out of one mouth in no wise ought,
this sinne dooth God deny.
But this doo minstrels clene forget,
some Godly songs they haue:
Some wicked Ballads and vnmeet,
as companies doo craue.
For filthies they haue filthy songs,
for baudes lasciuious rimes:
For honest good, for sober graue.
songs, so they watch their times.
Among the loouers of the trueth,
Among the Papists, such as of
their godlesse legend spring.
And as with mouth they thus apply,
them selues to euery kinde
Of men, to doo the same by deeds,
they be not far behinde.
With modest men they modest be,
with sober they be graue:
With lewd and naughtie companie
they also play the knaue.
For he that cannot gibe and iest,
vngodly scof and trump:
Is thought vnmeet to play with pipe,
on Tabret or to thump.
The minstrels doo with instruments,
with songs or els with iest:
Maintain them selues, but as they vse,
of these naught is the best.
Sith then the mean is nought wherby,
they doo their liues maintain:
The woord of God dooth not allow,
that such vse should remain.
Custome.
Though thou thy saying hast confirmd,
and minstrels vse doo seem:
Against the woord of God to be,
yet many men doo deem
much porfit oft arise:
For some by them instructed are,
how to be godly wise.
And sōe from that which minstrels sing,
a great deale more wil beare:
Then when of godly Preachers they
a learned sermon heare.
Therfore if you doo stil deny
the singing, I may say:
You are an enemie to that,
which teacheth the right way.
But all men ought that to esteem,
with might and main vpholde:
Which teacheth good, therfore I think,
to sing they may be bolde.
Veritie.
Where one by minstrels godly songs
dooth learn an honest race:
To run, ten times so many learn
to practise sinne a pace.
By wicked songs which they doo vse,
for such they practise more:
And we are apter vnto sinne,
then vnto vertues lore.
Again what office to instruct
haue they? not publikely
In Church, they are not of the woord
Ne doo they vse the order of
priuate instruction:
Where by all men eche other teach
Christes true religion.
For that is freely to be doon,
without respect of gain:
But gain remooue, and to instruct
the minstrels take no pain.
Sith publique office they haue none,
instruction to vse:
And priuate order, as it should
be they seem to refuse.
And seeing many more by them
are hurt, then taught aright:
Directly I conclude in them
men should not so delight.
If I should graunt that many be
therby instructed wel:
Yet that they would stil practise it,
I may it thus refel.
The deuils confessed that they knew,
Iesus the holy one:
Of God to be, and of the same,
high God to be the sonne.
The deuiles said true heerin, and some
heerby might haue been taught:
To knowe bothe God the Father, and
The maid possessed with the spright,
of diuination:
Said, Paule and other taught the way,
of mans saluation,
And that they were the seruants of
the moste high God abooue:
And so they were, this many might,
haue moou'd the trueth to looue.
Yet Christe the deuils to silence put,
and cast them out of man:
And would not suffer them to speak,
what they did knowe him than.
Paule cast the spright out of the maid,
and took it greeuously:
That she (though true it was indeed)
of them did testify.
The learned yeeld this reason, why
Christe and his Seruant Paule
Cast out the deuil because he sought
heerby no good at all.
But craftyly he went about,
by telling trueth to get:
Credit with men, the better to
insnare them in his net.
And this perswade them, if he could,
that there agreement was:
Between the deuils and liuing God.
And beeing once in credit, he
might all the euil, he could
Deuise, performe men to destroy,
and neuer be controlde.
The Lord the mischeefs did preuent,
which after might ensue:
By Sathans sleights, wherby in fine
to men great profit grew.
For that they were deliuered
from Sathans subtil wile:
Wherby vnder pretence of good,
he sought them to beguile.
The deuil the same is now, as then,
his purpose is all one:
In minstrels singing godly songs,
he long about hath gon.
Therby such credit he hath got,
that now say what he wil:
Though baudy wicked blasphemous,
the same he may say stil.
For wanton and lasciuiouse rimes,
are cloked vnder mirth:
And blasphemies go uncontrolde,
though they be Sathans breth.
And why? forsooth because these men,
some Godly songs doo sing:
All must be good nothing refused,
Thus Sathan by permission,
his purpose hath obtaind:
Because so long vncasten out,
in men he hath remaind.
These mischeefs therfore to redresse,
the course of them to stay:
Is sathan to cast out of men,
this is the redy way.
The Lord for this, this meane hath left,
the preachers with the woord:
Must sharply Sathanists rebuke,
the Magistrates with swoord.
If these togither ioyned be,
the deuil for feare wil quake:
And out of men run to the Swine,
and haste to hellish lake.
The cause why men remain possest,
as yet with this foule sin:
Is men to execute their charge,
straine curtsie to begin.
The yunger post it to the olde,
the olde with custome drownd:
For vertue vice, for mirth doo take
oft Sathans deadly sound.
The minister, that magistrates
should first begin, doo look:
The magistrates, by ministers
But nether strike So Sathan hath
his pleasure and his will:
His whistle doth deceiue the birds,
and them for euer kill.
But ministers and magistrates,
that such sins should remoue:
And doo neglect, for these mens blood
shall giue account abooue
To God, whom custom multitude
Nor yet the face of man:
May mittigate, but they for this
shall fal his anger than.
If this could sinck into our heads,
and take root in our hart:
It wou'd constrain vs, wittingly
not from Gods law to start.
But ([illeg.] eares are dul to hear,
their harts more hard then stone:
Nothing can pearce their lothsome liues
to cause them to bemone.
God make vs fleshly harts (not woorks
of flesh to put in vre)
And therin print his holy lawes,
for euer to indure.
If all things you doo bear in minde,
which I rehearsed haue:
I think you wil to prooue my cause,
Custome.
Thy proof is firm, no more I craue,
but yet I meruail much:
That learned men in former times,
gainst minstrels brought no such.
Veritie.
When learned wights in time of olde,
blamde dauncers fond delight:
Heerof which are the cause against
vain minstrells they did write.
By name therfore again to thee,
I wil not them rehearse:
This may suffise a godly minde
therfore I end my verse.
Custome.
God graunt I Custome loue my course,
and may be calld to grace:
To yeeld to trueth and not cause men
to liue in sinful race.
That I by length of time, and long
continuance of ill:
May not perswade the simple sort,
The same to practise stil
But that I which in time began,
may yeeld to him that was
Before all time, is and shalbe,
when all things els shall passe.
Me, for that which is sayd and prooued,
let no man rashly spight:
Not gainst right vse, but the abuse
of things hath been my fight.
God graunt his spirit may quicken vs,
good frute our trees may bring:
We may not fall in firye lake,
where dooth no mercy spring.
God graunt our noble Queen may reign
long time with happy dayes:
To purge out clean all popish dregs,
to godlines great staies.
That godly magistrates may strike,
and good lawes straightly vse:
That deuilish sin they sharply scourge,
that men may vice refuse.
And that bothe Prince and magistrates,
and Subiects by Gods grace:
After this life may rest in heauen,
all Christians dwelling place.
FINIS.
| A Dialogve between Custom and Veritie concerning the use and abuse of Dauncing and Minstrelsie | |